WHO REIGNS?

William Surina

Sermon • Submitted a month ago • Presented a month ago

0 ratings

· 5 views

Notes

Transcript

Treasure, Trust, and the Allegiance of the Heart

Text: Matthew 6:19–24

INTRO: The Question Beneath the Question

5 Lies Christians Tell Themselves by Chris Cagle

1. God cares more about my heart than what I do with my money.

God certainly cares about the condition of our hearts. And yet there’s a “faith and works” connection with money that can’t be ignored. A heart transformed by the gospel will result in changes not just to what we believe about money but also what we do with it (Jas. 2:14–17, 26).

Money is a big deal in the Bible. We’re given more instruction in the Bible about money (more than 2,000 verses) than almost anything else. Jesus told many parables about it, and the apostles had a lot to say about it. We’re told to avoid the love of money (1 Tim. 6:6–10) and to choose God over money (Luke 16:13), so we can be generous and ready to give (Matt. 6:2, 5, 16) and put our trust in God, not riches (1 Tim. 6:17–19). We’re also encouraged to plan and save (Prov. 21:20) and look after the needs of our families and others (1 Tim. 5:8; Heb. 13:16).

2. I know I need to give, but how much doesn’t matter so long as I give something.

There’s little disagreement among Christians that giving is encouraged, even commanded, in Scripture (Mal. 3:6–12; Matt. 23:23; 1 Cor. 16:1–2). But when we start talking about “how much,” things get tricky.

1 Corinthians 16:1–2 NIV

Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

[Check out this two-part TGC Asks series on the question, “Are Christians today required to tithe?”: 7 Reasons Christians Are Not Required to Tithe and The Bible Commands Christians to Tithe]

Some say we’re free to give as little or as much as we want based on how we “feel led,” because we’re free from the “legalism” of the tithe. It’s true that New Testament giving shouldn’t be legalistic. But Jesus and the apostles taught proportional and even sacrificial generosity from a heart of gratitude and worship, which for some may be more than a tithe (Mark 12:41–44; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:5–6).

2 Corinthians 9:5–6 NIV

So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given. Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

Christians are a long way from obeying this teaching. Depending on which study you read, among professing Christians who attend church regularly, only about 5 percent give at least 10 percent of their income (the traditional “tithe”). Of those who do give, the average is approximately 2.5 percent of income.

3. Debt is unavoidable and not a problem so long as I pay it back and maintain good credit.

Debt is common these days; all forms of consumer debt are on the rise. Some debt may occasionally be necessary, but most kinds can be avoided with careful planning and discipline.

Scripture doesn’t explicitly prohibit lending and borrowing, but it does teach that debt is a form of “bondage,” since it makes the borrower a slave to the debt payment itself (Prov. 22:7). It also makes the borrower a slave to the lender in the sense that the lender has partial “ownership” of the time the borrower must work to pay the lender back.

Unless there’s an overwhelming need to borrow, we shouldn’t put ourselves under the bondage of indebtedness. At a minimum, we shouldn’t frequently borrow, and we should always pay off debt as soon as possible (which is the wise thing to do regardless).

4. God will prosper me financially if I work hard and have enough faith.

Historically there have been two perspectives on financial prosperity and the Christian life. The first teaches that because love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim. 6:10), the more money you have, the less righteous you can be. The second teaches that God wants all Christians to be prosperous and wealthy. If we aren’t prosperous, it’s because we don’t have enough faith.

A more accurate biblical perspective is that God in his sovereignty gives some people more, and others less, to steward on his behalf (1 Sam. 2:7; Matt. 26:11). How and why he does so is his business, not ours. Mature believers may be either rich or poor (Prov. 22:2).

Proverbs 22:2 NIV

Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.

5. God has promised to take care of me, so I don’t have to worry about money.

God promises to take care of his children (Matt. 6:25–27; Phil. 4:19). But he also instructs us to take responsibility (and action) for our situation (Prov. 10:4–5). When it comes to finances, we have to do our part.

In light of his promises, we can be free from worry since we know God will take care of us. And given the wise instruction we’ve received, we need to resist passivity and inaction, which presume on God’s kindness.

Money is an important part of our lives, so it’s important that we clearly grasp what the Bible teaches about it. Take time to study the Scriptures for yourself and see how they apply to your situation. Read good books on biblical stewardship. Above all, strive to be a faithful steward of all that your King has entrusted to you (1 Cor. 4:2).

1 Corinthians 4:2 NIV

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

Money is rarely just about money.

It’s about:

security

control

fear

trust

the future

Jesus is speaking to people who largely lived with material uncertainty. He is not dismissing the need for provision; He is exposing what governs the heart beneath those needs (Faithlife Study Bible).

That’s why Jesus talks about money so often, not because it’s ultimate, but because it reveals what we treat as ultimate (Tony Evans).

This sermon is not about giving first. It’s about rule and reign.

Who reigns over your heart?

Jesus doesn’t begin with percentages or practices.

He begins with allegiance.

POINT 1: What You Treasure Reveals What Rules You

(Matthew 6:19–21)

Matthew 6:19–21 NIV

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Jesus contrasts two kinds of treasure:

Earthly treasure: temporary, fragile, insecure

Heavenly treasure: eternal, secure, unassailable

The images Jesus uses, moths destroying garments, corrosion eating away wealth, thieves breaking in—would have been immediately understood by His audience as evidence of how perishable and precarious earthly wealth truly is (Jamieson–Fausset–Brown).

Jesus is not condemning provision. He is warning against accumulated excess that goes beyond what is needful and becomes identity and security (Gary Hamrick).

Then Jesus says:

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The order matters.

Our hearts do not direct our treasure. Our treasure trains our hearts.

Your money doesn’t follow your heart, your heart follows what you treasure.

As Tony Evans summarizes:

“Store your treasure where you want your heart to be.” (Tony Evans)

This is not a condemnation. It’s a diagnosis.

Jesus now moves from treasure to vision, from what we value to how we see.

POINT 2: A Healthy Eye Sees God as King and Source

(Matthew 6:22–23)

Matthew 6:22–23 NIV

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

“The eye is the lamp of the body.”

In Jewish thought, the eye represents inner direction and perception, and light and darkness describe a person’s spiritual condition (Faithlife Study Bible).

A “single” eye refers to simplicity, clarity, and singleness of purpose, looking fully toward one aim without double vision (Jamieson–Fausset–Brown). A “bad” eye refers to a divided inner life, trying to look toward heaven and earth at the same time (Jamieson–Fausset–Brown).

Within the context of money and possessions, Jesus is describing how we view God.

A healthy eye sees God as the generous source of every good gift

A unhealthy eye sees self as the source and protector of what we have

When we see God as the Provider, generosity flows naturally. When we see ourselves as the provider, fear, control, and stinginess follow (Gary Hamrick).

A divided focus always produces a distracted faith.

Jesus is not saying money is evil. He is saying double allegiance darkens the soul (Faithlife Study Bible).

Now Jesus states the issue plainly, without qualification.

POINT 3 — You Cannot Serve Two Kings

(Matthew 6:24)

Matthew 6:24 NIV

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Jesus says:

“No one can serve two masters.”

The word serve means to belong wholly and be entirely under the command of another (Jamieson–Fausset–Brown).

This is not about balance. This is about rule.

Jesus names the rival:

“You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Mammon refers to wealth treated as what one trusts in, money elevated to the role of master or functional savior (Jamieson–Fausset–Brown).

Money is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master. (Gary Hamrick)

The issue is not possessing money. The issue is divided loyalty, the attempt to let money promise security, peace, and control that only God can provide (Faithlife Study Bible).

Jesus Anticipates the Fear

(Matthew 6:25–34 referenced, not expounded)

Jesus knows the question that immediately rises in the human heart:

“If I loosen my grip… what happens to me?”

That is why the very next word in verse 25 is “Therefore.”

Jesus anticipates that generosity can awaken anxiety, so He immediately reassures His followers that the Father who calls for trust is also the Father who promises provision and care (Gary Hamrick).

Jesus is not calling His people to reckless faith, but to rested trust.

THE TITHE: Allegiance Expressed, Not Pressure Applied

Scripture presents giving as:

a starting point, not a ceiling

a rhythm of trust, not a transaction

an act of worship, not religious dues

Scripture affirms wisdom, planning, and provision. The danger comes when attention, anxiety, and devotion are consumed by earthly gain while God is sidelined (Jamieson–Fausset–Brown).

Many Christians tell themselves that God cares about the heart but not about money practices, yet Scripture consistently connects financial obedience to spiritual allegiance (The Gospel Coalition, “5 Lies Christians Tell About Money”).

But Jesus and the apostles taught proportional and even sacrificial generosity from a heart of gratitude and worship, which for some may be more than a tithe (Mark 12:41–44; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:5–6).

God isn’t after your money, He’s after your trust. (Tony Evans)

Faithfulness matters more than size. Consistency matters more than comparison.

REVELATION CONNECTION: Why This Matters Now

Revelation is not primarily about timelines or speculation.

It is about who reigns.

Revelation exposes false thrones—political, cultural, economic, and personal.

Every act of generosity quietly declares:

“Jesus is King, not just of my beliefs, but of my life.”